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June 2013

Crowds formed near the intersection of Camelback Road and 22nd Street in Phoenix on Wednesday as a group of Catholic nuns climbed down from a large tour bus for a scheduled visit to the offices of U.S.

Arizona Congressman Trent Franks is being attacked for a comment during the latest skirmish over abortion in the U.S. House. A Republican from Arizona’s Eighth District, Franks is sponsoring a bill banning abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy.

Phoenix is
scorching this week, with temperatures upwards of 110 degrees expected across
the metro area today. That’s about 10 degrees warmer than normal. This isn’t
just uncomfortable. The weather is causing an uptick in emergency calls – and not
just in the city’s urban areas.

Governor Jan Brewer's decision to call lawmakers into a special session to finish the state budget and approve Medicaid expansion has deepened the divide within the Republican party. It has also brightened the line that separates supporters and opponents of the expansion.

Tucson Unified School District is recalling some teachers and staff members it laid off last month. A total of 72 workers are getting back on the district’s payroll.TUSD let 187 employees go to cope with a $17 million budget shortfall, but cuts in other areas of the district have allowed officials to hire back almost six dozen teachers and other employees.

Recently retired Sen. Jon Kyl, who was one of the leaders in the push for immigration reform in 2007, says the bipartisan "Gang of Eight" is in a much better position to pass reform this year.Kyl said climate for reform is much friendlier.

Summer won't officially arrive for another week, but the Valley is already facing excessive heat warnings.Meteorologist and Channel 12 storm chaser Matthew Pace said we will have our typically hot summer days, and he is predicting an average monsoon season of blowing dust and thunderstorms.

There is a short list of qualifications to be a justice of the peace in Arizona. You must be a registered voter in the state. You must reside in the justice court precinct. You must understand the English language.

Arizona lawmakers will be at the capitol today after being called to a special session late Tuesday by Governor Jan Brewer. They'll be working on Medicaid expansion and the state budget. I talked with Jim Small of the Arizona Capitol Times this morning, and asked him why the governor would call a special session when lawmakers were expected to deal with the issues during their regular session later in the week.

The high heat is a signal that monsoon season is not far off.&nbsp; It begins, officially, on Saturday and one aspect of it you may prefer to avoid comes with a buzz.&nbsp; It'll soon be peak season for mosquitoes and David Mizejewski of the National Wildlife Federation says you'll be targeted through a chemical trail you unwittingly leave in your wake.

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